Trending Now - Pokémon Company Responds to White House's Meme Controversy

WHO:

Pokémon Company International

President Trump

Sravanthi Dev, spokesperson for Pokémon Company

Abigail Jackson, Trump administration spokesperson

Anna Kelly, White House spokesperson

Don McGowan, former legal chief of Pokémon Company

Wesley, Director of News at IGN

WHAT:

The Pokémon Company issued a statement objecting to the White House's use of its intellectual property (IP) in a meme.

The meme featured the slogan "Make America Great Again" over imagery associated with the Pokémon game "Pokémon Pokopia."

The White House's tweet had been viewed 18.6 million times as of the article's publication.

The Pokémon Company stated it did not grant permission for the use of its IP.

The White House defended its use of pop-culture references in social media posts.

WHERE:

The meme was shared on the White House's X (formerly Twitter) account.

The Pokémon game "Pokémon Pokopia" was released on the Nintendo Switch 2.

WHEN:

The meme was posted on March 5, 2026.

The Pokémon Company's statement was issued on March 6, 2026.

A previous incident involving the Department of Homeland Security occurred in September 2025.

WHY:

The Pokémon Company emphasized that its mission is to bring the world together and is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.

The Trump administration's use of the meme was part of its social media strategy to communicate the president's agenda.

HOW:

The meme was created using imagery and font styles associated with "Pokémon Pokopia," which was released shortly before the meme's posting.

The White House's social media strategy included using AI-generated graphics and pop-culture references to engage with the public.

QUOTES:

Pokémon Company statement: “We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand. We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”

Abigail Jackson: “Through engaging posts and banger memes, we are successfully communicating the president’s extremely popular agenda.”

Don McGowan: “I don't see them doing anything about this for a few reasons... This will blow over in a couple of days and they'll be happy to let it.”

The Pokémon Company has issued a statement objecting to the White House's use of its intellectual property in a meme that featured the slogan "Make America Great Again" alongside imagery from the game "Pokémon Pokopia." The meme, which was posted on March 5 and viewed over 18.6 million times, prompted the company to clarify that it did not grant permission for its IP to be used and emphasized that its mission is to unite people, free from political affiliations. In response, the White House defended its social media strategy, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson highlighting their approach of using pop-culture references to effectively communicate President Trump's agenda.